Gideon Allen Murdock, Indian Fighter

Gideon was born in 1840, so he’d have been in his seventh year during the 1847 trek. His father, John, trusted him to help with the oxen and getting “kitted out” for the journey West. They were part of the Abraham O Smoot, and George B Wallace Company. They arrived in Sept of 1847. John moved his family to the Beaver, Utah area where they permanently settled. During his life, Gideon was an indian fighter in the Black Hawk War, although based on his records there was much more hiking involved than indian fighting. Later was deputy Sheriff of Beaver County. Served as a Bishop in the LDS Church. They made their home in Minersville, Utah.

Trail Excerpt (from the LDS Church Website)\by Gideon A Murdock

During this winter there was conciderable sickness around these parts, and there was a man by the name of George Cooper and his wife died and left one only child about one and a half years old and Father being the only ordained Bishop on that side of the river he was instructed to take the child and take care of her and any property that mite belong to the family, and with that Father got on yoke of old gentle oxen and an old wagon, and Father had one wagon and two yoke of oxen.

So in the Spring of 1847 Father made up his mind that if he could get ready in time he would go to the rocky mountains that Summer, acordingly early in this Spring we started into Missouri to make an outfit for the valeys Father driving the one team of two yoke and I driving the one yoke[.] I was not large enough to keep out of the way of the wagon at all times and consequently had my feet and leg run over two or three times when Jumping out of the wagon to Stop the team. We made two trips into Missouri that spring one as far down as St. Joseph

Then <the> 7th of June we left Missouri river and drove the Same three yoke of oxen into Salt Lake valey arriving there on the 24th day of September being only 62 days behind the first Pioneer company into the Great Salt Lake valey[.] (We were organized into companies of 100 and of 50 and of 10′s. We were in the A[braham]. O[wen]. Smo[o]ts 100 Geo[rge] B[enjamin]. Walles [Wallace] 50 and John Nebekers 10)

Trail excerpt from Journal of Gideons Father, John Murdock

March 1847. The Omaha Indians killed my Ox:

but about the 1rst of April I made out three yoke of Oxen and two wagons, and my Son Gideon, being but six years old, accompanying me, we drove said wagons and teems, two trips to Missouri; for provisions, say 550 miles and then

started June 7th. Left Winterquarters, to Journey with the Saints, still further into the wilderness. Being prepaired with three yoke of Oxen two wagons; two thousand pounds of bread stuf and my family, consisting of Sarah my wife, Martha Ann Henderson, Gideon, George, and Mary Cooper.

And September 24th or 25th arrived in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, North America having driven our three yoke of Oxen 1600 miles in less than six months without a shoe on either of their feet halling [hauling] twenty hundred on one wagon and twelve hundred on the other. And then sent back on yoke of my Oxen to helpin[g] the Brethren and one of them died on the trip